This final rule is effective March 2, 2015, except for amendments to 33 CFR part 160 which become effective April 30, 2015, with the further exception of § 160.204(a)(6), which is effective April 30, 2015 through December 31, 2015; and except for §§ 160.204(a)(5)(vii), 160.205, 160.208(a) and (c), and 164.46(b) and (c), which contain collection of information requirements that have not yet been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Coast Guard will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of these four collection-of-information related sections. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the final rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register on March 2, 2015.

33 CFR Parts 62, 66, 101, 110, 117, 118, 151, 160, 161, 164, and 165

Summary

Consistent with statutory requirements and provisions, the Coast Guard is expanding the applicability of notice of arrival (NOA) and automatic identification system (AIS) requirements to include more commercial vessels. This final rule amends the applicability of notice of arrival requirements to include additional vessels, sets forth a mandatory method for electronic submission of NOAs, and modifies related reporting content, timeframes, and procedures. This final rule also extends the applicability of AIS requirements beyond Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) areas to all U.S. navigable waters, and requires that additional commercial vessels install and use AIS, consistent with statutory requirements, and in limited cases, the Secretary's discretionary authority. These changes will improve navigation safety, enhance our ability to identify and track vessels, and heighten our overall maritime domain awareness (MDA), thus helping us address threats to maritime transportation safety and security.

The Coast Guard published a final rule in the Federal Register on January 15, 2015, to establish and modify anchorage grounds within the Port of New York. One of the amendatory instructions for an existing regulation, which was intended to revise only paragraph (f)(2), mistakenly indicated that all of paragraph (f) was being revised. This rule corrects that error.

The Coast Guard is establishing and modifying anchorage grounds within the Port of New York. This action is necessary to facilitate safe navigation and provide safe and secure anchorages for vessels operating in the area. This rule is intended to increase the safety of life and property of both the anchored vessels and those operating in the area, as well as provide for the overall safe and efficient flow of commerce.

The Coast Guard is disestablishing Commercial Anchorage “A” and is revising the permission and notification requirements in the regulations for the anchorage grounds of Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors, California. Commercial Anchorage “A” has become the location of a Submerged Material Storage Site and is no longer usable. Revised permission and notification requirements affect the six commercial anchorages within the breakwater of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach that can accommodate vessels with lengths exceeding 800 feet overall and drafts greater than 40 feet. This revision requires vessels using these deep draft anchorages for more than 48 hours to obtain extended anchorage permission from the Captain of the Port (COTP) Los Angeles-Long Beach. This action will assist the COTP and the Pilots for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to reduce congestion in the deep draft anchorage grounds within the harbor breakwater.

The Coast Guard is modifying the special anchorage area located on the Ashley River, in Charleston, SC. This change is necessary to accommodate the expansion of the Charleston City Marina and to meet special anchorage area requirements. This change will ensure that there is sufficient space to accommodate vessels desiring to anchor in the area, while allowing a sufficient buffer between the federal channel and special anchorage.

This final rule makes non-substantive changes throughout Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this final rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to Coast Guard navigation and navigable waters regulations. These changes will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.

This is a list of United States Code sections, Statutes at Large, Public Laws, and Presidential Documents, which provide rulemaking authority for this CFR Part.

This final rule is effective March 2, 2015, except for amendments to 33 CFR part 160 which become effective April 30, 2015, with the further exception of § 160.204(a)(6), which is effective April 30, 2015 through December 31, 2015; and except for §§ 160.204(a)(5)(vii), 160.205, 160.208(a) and (c), and 164.46(b) and (c), which contain collection of information requirements that have not yet been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Coast Guard will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of these four collection-of-information related sections. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the final rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register on March 2, 2015.

33 CFR Parts 62, 66, 101, 110, 117, 118, 151, 160, 161, 164, and 165

Summary

Consistent with statutory requirements and provisions, the Coast Guard is expanding the applicability of notice of arrival (NOA) and automatic identification system (AIS) requirements to include more commercial vessels. This final rule amends the applicability of notice of arrival requirements to include additional vessels, sets forth a mandatory method for electronic submission of NOAs, and modifies related reporting content, timeframes, and procedures. This final rule also extends the applicability of AIS requirements beyond Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) areas to all U.S. navigable waters, and requires that additional commercial vessels install and use AIS, consistent with statutory requirements, and in limited cases, the Secretary's discretionary authority. These changes will improve navigation safety, enhance our ability to identify and track vessels, and heighten our overall maritime domain awareness (MDA), thus helping us address threats to maritime transportation safety and security.

The Coast Guard published a final rule in the Federal Register on January 15, 2015, to establish and modify anchorage grounds within the Port of New York. One of the amendatory instructions for an existing regulation, which was intended to revise only paragraph (f)(2), mistakenly indicated that all of paragraph (f) was being revised. This rule corrects that error.

The Coast Guard is establishing and modifying anchorage grounds within the Port of New York. This action is necessary to facilitate safe navigation and provide safe and secure anchorages for vessels operating in the area. This rule is intended to increase the safety of life and property of both the anchored vessels and those operating in the area, as well as provide for the overall safe and efficient flow of commerce.

The Coast Guard is disestablishing Commercial Anchorage “A” and is revising the permission and notification requirements in the regulations for the anchorage grounds of Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors, California. Commercial Anchorage “A” has become the location of a Submerged Material Storage Site and is no longer usable. Revised permission and notification requirements affect the six commercial anchorages within the breakwater of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach that can accommodate vessels with lengths exceeding 800 feet overall and drafts greater than 40 feet. This revision requires vessels using these deep draft anchorages for more than 48 hours to obtain extended anchorage permission from the Captain of the Port (COTP) Los Angeles-Long Beach. This action will assist the COTP and the Pilots for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to reduce congestion in the deep draft anchorage grounds within the harbor breakwater.

Notice of proposed rulemaking; notice of public meeting and reopening of the comment period.

A public meeting will be held on Thursday, November 20, 2014, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Marina del Rey, CA to provide an opportunity for oral comments. The comment period for this rulemaking is reopened through November 28, 2014.

33 CFR Part 110

Summary

The Coast Guard announces a November 20, 2014 public meeting to receive comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking entitled “Anchorage Regulations: Subpart A—Special Anchorage Areas, Marina del Rey Harbor, California ” that was published in the Federal Register on May 28, 2014. As stated in that document, the Coast Guard proposes to disestablish the special anchorage area at the north end of the main channel in Marina del Rey Harbor, California. This proposed action would remove the anchorage area from Coast Guard regulations. This proposed rule would not prevent vessels from anchoring in the harbor during storms, stress, or other emergency situations. We have reopened the comment period which will now end November 28, 2014.

The Coast Guard is modifying the special anchorage area located on the Ashley River, in Charleston, SC. This change is necessary to accommodate the expansion of the Charleston City Marina and to meet special anchorage area requirements. This change will ensure that there is sufficient space to accommodate vessels desiring to anchor in the area, while allowing a sufficient buffer between the federal channel and special anchorage.

This final rule makes non-substantive changes throughout Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this final rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to Coast Guard navigation and navigable waters regulations. These changes will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.